settima

crime

Homicidal (William Castle, 1961)

Sep

2

Ice cream (melting)

Homicidal (1961)

Emily (Joan Marshall), a stately blonde, looking down on a sulky little kid holding his slowly melting ice cream. DP: Burnett Guffey.

The Hypnotic Eye (George Blair, 1960)

Aug

29

National Lemon Juice Day

The Hypnotic Eye (1960)

Suave hypnotist Desmond (Jacques Bergerac) and his lovely assistant Justine (Allison Hayes) using the magic of vitamin C to demonstrate to you, the viewer, how hypnotism works. DP: Archie R. Dalzell.

The Hypnotic Eye utilises what's called the movie gimmick. This one doesn't deploy anything hugely spectacular, no Percepto! seat vibrators (The Tingler (1959)) or Witchcraft (1964) witch deflectors or even a trained nurse on standby. There's a balloon. No spoilers here

“And now I am going to demonstrate to you the power of your own mind.”

– Desmond

There are also multiple moments where hypnotist Desmond (handsome future-Revlon-exec Jacques Bergerac) directly addresses you, the (wo)man in the audience. Because you too may laugh at that folly, that gimmick, that parlour trick. But who says it isn't real? Who says you really never went to see a hypnotism show…?

Dial 1119 [The Violent Hour] (Gerald Mayer, 1950)

Aug

28

Sherry Flips

Dial 1119 (1950)

Dr. John Faron (Sam Levene) and barfly Freddy (Virginia Field) drinking at the counter. Freddy is enjoying her sherry flip with what appear to be olives instead of cherries. Two more glasses are waiting for her. DP: Paul Vogel.

“And now for the benefit of the folks who tuned in late, I should like to say that this is the most traumatic spectacle I have ever had the GOOD fortune to witness.”

– TV announcer

More (Barbet Schroeder, 1969)

Aug

22

Munchies

More (1969)

Druggies Estelle (Mimsy Farmer) and Stefan (Klaus Grünberg) eating straight from a jar of honey and picking crumbs out of a loaf of bread. There's Coca-Cola product placement and half-eaten foods everywhere. DP: Néstor Almendros.

– You know what's really awful?

– No, tell me.

– Getting hooked. It's the end. But, if you only take one shot every once in awhile. Its no different than an occasional drink or cigarette.

Hell Bound (William J. Hole Jr., 1957)

Aug

20

milk

Hell Bound (1957)

Stanley Thomas (George E. Mather) and Daddy (Dehl Berti) in a sleazy nightclub. Daddy raises his glass of milk to someone offscreen. DP: Carl E. Guthrie.

Hell Bound (William J. Hole Jr., 1957)

Aug

20

International Day Of Medical Transporters

Hell Bound (1957)

Paula (June Blair) and Eddie (Stuart Whitman) in nurses' uniforms taking care of an injured child on the street. Behind them, two cops unload a stretcher from an ambulance. DP: Carl E. Guthrie.

The boss' girlfriend falls for an ambulance driver, derailing her man's gang's carefully planned narcotics heist.

Matinée (Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, 1977)

Aug

19

free candy

Matinée (1977)

Best friends Aarón (Rodolfo Chávez Martínez) and Jorge (Armando Martín) helping out in Aarón's parents' convenience store while helping themselves to a snack or two. DP: Jorge Stahl Jr..

Maléfices [Where the Truth Lies] (Henri Decoin, 1962)

Aug

16

milk

Maléfices (1962)

Ronga (Maîthé Mansoura accompanied by cheetah Nyète), sits on a straw-covered floor while holding a bowl with milk. There are potted plants and gardening equipment is placed against the wall. DP: Marcel Grignon.

Salón México (Emilio Fernández, 1949)

Aug

13

$120 cerveza

Salón México (1949)

Mercedes (Marga López) sitting at a small round table at the salón. A waiter just came over to take her order. In the other room, meticulously dressed couples dance to live music. DP: Gabriel Figueroa.

L'œil du malin [The Eye of Evil / The Third Lover] (Claude Chabrol, 1962)

Aug

8

L'œil du malin (1962)

A table covered with a neatly ironed table cloth and on it, several stacks of flat and soup plates, plus silverware and nesting aluminium pans. DP: Jean Rabier.